Ford Focus - 100 starts

Centenary celebrations for Ford Focus World Rally Car
The Rallye de France Tour de Corse marks the 100th world rally for the
Ford Focus World Rally Car. Since its debut on the opening round of the
1999 FIA World Rally Championship, the Monte ...

Centenary celebrations for Ford Focus World Rally Car

The Rallye de France Tour de Corse marks the 100th world rally for the
Ford Focus World Rally Car. Since its debut on the opening round of the
1999 FIA World Rally Championship, the Monte Carlo Rally, the Focus has
won 16 world rallies and claimed a remarkable 59 podium finishes.

Colin McRae has started the most rallies (56) in a Focus WRC as a
nominated driver followed by Markko Martin (43) and Carlos Sainz (42).
Martin has claimed the most manufacturer points scoring finishes (28)
ahead of Sainz (27) and McRae (25). The Focus has completed 4040 special
stages and set 336 fastest times. It has led for 299 stages.

The 99 rallies completed so far have produced many high points. BP-Ford
World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson, the man who has overseen all 99
Focus starts, selects his five highlights:

Safari Rally 1999: "This was my proudest moment in team management.
Kenya's Safari Rally was an event unlike any other in the world
championship. The nature of the roads, the long competitive sections and
the heat combined to make it the toughest event in the calendar. It was
unique and we had no right to win there - but we did. It was only our
third event with the Ford Focus and just a couple of months previously we
had all been working 24 hours a day simply to get the car ready for its
first rally. Colin McRae drove superbly and the car was so strong that
it just soaked up all the punishment that Kenya's roads could inflict."

Rally Catalunya 2000: "Colin McRae won on Spain's asphalt and it was our
first win on that surface with the Focus in the car's 19th rally. Carlos
Sainz finished third as well and in terms of results that was our best
performance to date. It was important for the team to win on sealed
surfaces, to prove the car could compete anywhere."

Cyprus Rally 2000: "Just five rallies later, we went to what was a brand
new event in the championship and came away with a fantastic 1-2. We had
done the same just three rallies earlier in Greece but this was special
because we had never been there before. I had a feeling beforehand that
this was made for Carlos and he led home Colin. Carlos was always a
strong contender on new rallies and his preparation and ability paid off
handsomely here."

Rally Finland 2003: "Early in 2003 we debuted a stunning new Focus RS
WRC. It was designed by Christian Loriaux and one of our main targets
was to build a car that could outpace our rivals on the faster rallies.
They don't come any faster than Finland! Markko Martin had already won
with the car in Greece but this was the type of event that we built the
car around. It is a true classic and traditionally non-Nordic drivers
don't get a look in. Didier Auriol and Carlos Sainz were the only two
who had won there before Markko brought the Focus home 45 seconds clear.
It was a huge margin on such a fast event and it proved the Focus was the
quickest car in the championship. The scenes at the finish with all the
blue, black and white Estonian flags flying were incredible."

Cyprus Rally 2005: "We finished fifth and sixth - but that wasn't the
important thing. The results meant we had become the first manufacturer
in the history of the championship to record 50 points finishes. The
record run started on the Monte Carlo Rally in 2002 and fifth for Toni
Gardemeister and sixth for Roman Kresta brought up the half century.
When I look back at the calibre of drivers who contributed to the record,
I feel extremely proud. But, more than anything, the run is a tribute to
the speed, reliability and strength of the Ford Focus WRC."